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Fun in the Digital Sun

Who needs to go outdoors when you have the internet? Put on some Oculus Rift shades, settle in, and enjoy this newsletter. NOTE: This newsletter is neither virtual reality-enabled nor about the sun in any particular way. But it feels very fun!

This is super cool. I LOVE interactive artwork that generates something from user input. Use your webcam and this game will perceive depth from its image, creating a surreal landscape made of your face, your cat, or whatever else you decide to point your camera at. Here's a direct link in case you don't care about the article.

Oh, wow. Thanks for catching up, science. (I'm kidding. I love you, science. Never change.) Unfortunately, you can't actually purchase this hoverboard. Still, it's neat to see the skateboarders try to figure out how exactly they should interact with this newfangled technology.

I made a tool! If you know how to use Node.js, this one is relevant to you. (If you don't know how to use Node.js, the instructions are pretty straightforward.) This script can take any data file and append a BMP image header to it, enabling you to view that file in an image viewer or editor and see what the data looks like according to the BMP file format. Check out the repository for more examples and details.

(I had said I was going to do a blog post on this last week, but that post is turning out to be heftier than I thought. Still coming.)

Did you ever wonder if Facebook was actually a megacorp bent on world domination (of some sort or another)? These big companies are objectively terrifying to single-brain organisms like myself, but the stuff they're doing is incredible.

Summary: Facebook is pouring tons of money into stuff like drones, laser beam-powered internet, and particularly virtual reality. Mark Zuckerberg sees it as the next step in content platforms. I do, too. I just sure as hell hope that someone designs an internet for VR before Facebook or Google or Microsoft design a proprietary VR platform.

This is a really cool DIY article going over the different types of sensors you can use with a microcontroller or board like Arduino or Raspberry Pi. This really got me thinking about cool ways to create some gadget-laced wearables, like a jacket that lights up to the beats of music.

A fascinating look into the global spy surveillance system that the UK built decades ago, in collusion with other governments. The most interesting thing is just what the UK government does to those who poke its surveillance bear.

This is an interactive web art piece depicting a satirical dystopian Facebook in which Mark Zuckerberg has run off with all the data, and Facebook is now running “data drives” to get data back. Chipotle messages you on the site and begs you to patronize it.

Did you hear about this robot hitchhiking across the US and having a great time with its buddies? Yeah, wellll, I have some bad news for you. It got destroyed. But wait! Emotional rollercoaster! There's a kickstarter to rebuild it! So much suspense! Oh wait, it was canceled by the creator... I don't know what's happening with Hitchbot, but I hope they rebuild him.

I was talking to Darby (hi Darby!) about this a few days ago! If a robot looks disarmingly cute enough, people tend to divulge their secrets to it. Oh man. What if this is a new field of sociology? Human-robot interaction? Actually, I think this is already a relatively new field of study, but what if it becomes really mainstream? What if people go to school for it?

For years, I've dreamed of making some sort of interactive text game, or a rudimentary chat bot, or something, that made me feel like it understood where I was coming from. Even if I knew it was an illusion, that illusion is powerful. Someday it might not be an illusion - or it might be functionally similar enough to the real thing (a therapist, perhaps) that it serves its purpose.

After all, who hasn't ever talked to a stuffed toy, a rubber duck, a picture, or an entity they conjured in their mind? Imagine if a robot (or a chat interface) was thoughtful enough to make us feel like we're being heard and reflect. They could become tools for therapy, self-discovery, or meditation. A new arena for human interpretation and expression!

Way's Notes

Yello!

How have you been? How is your week going? Mine has been a little bit rough, but I always feel better by the time I get to this part of the newsletter. My favorite part of this one is probably the "hiding in plain site" pun I made on the note for the Russian Twitter hackers article. I just couldn't help myself!

Do you ever think about what life might be like if you had gone to that one show, talked to that one person, said that thing you always wanted to say? I've been trying to explore a little bit more. Be braver in personal ways that might expand and enrich my experience. In the words of somebody wise, DIFTS (do it for the story)!

Tell your peeps about Glitchet's story. They might just be captivated. I saw we had a decent influx of new subscribers this week - welcome, and I hope you enjoy. Comments, rants, rambles to [email protected].

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but sweet words make for good desserts. Love,

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Money for Glitchet goes into paying for server costs, spending more time developing it, and telling it you love it.

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